WASHINGTON -- Stephen Strasburg fiddled with the bottom of his grey T-shirt and stared blankly ahead, unaccustomed to his Washington Nationals struggling day after day the way they are at the moment. "We need to win some games," Strasburg said. "Its getting to the point where our backs against the wall." A popular pick to follow up last years majors-leading 98 wins and playoff appearance with a deep run, Washington is in a real rut right now. Wasting Strasburgs 12-strikeout performance, and held without a hit by Pittsburghs Francisco Liriano until the sixth inning, the Nationals lost to the Pirates 4-2 Wednesday night, their sixth consecutive defeat since the All-Star break. "When things get tough ... your true colours really come out. Its all about what type of person you are. Are you the type thats going to sit there and look in the mirror and do everything you can to be better out there? Or are you going to start pointing fingers?" Strasburg said. "I dont think theres a single guy in the clubhouse whos going to start pointing fingers. Every single guy in here is responsible and we all want to win just as bad as any other team out there." The reigning NL East champions are currently in third place, a season-worst nine games behind the Atlanta Braves, and the offence is mainly to blame. The Nationals have scored only 13 runs during their 0-6 slide, which is part of a 2-11 stretch. Already the owner of one previous no-hitter, Liriano (10-4) walked the first batter he faced, then retired 11 in a row before another walk. Five more outs followed, before rookie Anthony Rendon reached on what was ruled an infield single with two away in the sixth. Third baseman Pedro Alvarez -- who earlier homered off Strasburg -- dove to his left to stop the ball, but it popped out of his glove, and he couldnt quite corral it. The next batter walked, but Liriano struck out cleanup hitter Jayson Werth looking. "Everything was working the way I wanted tonight," said Liriano, who wound up allowing two hits in 7 2-3 innings. The Pirates tacked on three insurance runs in the ninth against relievers Drew Storen and Fernando Abad, thanks to Neil Walkers RBI double and Michael McKenrys two-run single. That became pivotal when Werth hit a two-run shot, his 15th homer, off Justin Wilson in the bottom half. Werth is seemingly the only Nationals batter capable of producing at the moment; hes hit five homers in the past four games. Wilson was replaced by Mark Melancon, who got the last three outs to earn his third save -- ending with a double play on which second baseman Walker whiffed on his attempted tag of lead runner Wilson Ramos. "Not even close. He never tagged me," Ramos said. He argued the call with umpire Laz Diaz, to no avail. "Maybe," Ramos said, "he (wanted) to go home." Nationals spokesman John Dever declined to check whether the umpiring crew would respond to reporters request for comment. Washington centre fielder Denard Spans take: "Its no secret that the ball definitely isnt bouncing our way. That wasnt the story of the game tonight, but anything couldve happened if that play isnt called there." The Nationals are a season-worst five games under .500 at 48-53. Already having all sorts of trouble at the plate -- so much so that the club fired hitting coach Rick Eckstein this week -- Washingtons starting lineup was missing All-Star left fielder Bryce Harper and shortstop Ian Desmond. Harper was held out as a precaution after getting treatment on the left knee that landed him on the disabled list earlier this season, while Desmond is dealing with a blister on his left hand. The last time Washington lost more than six consecutive games was nearly four years ago: They dropped eight in a row from Aug. 28 to Sept. 5, 2009, according to STATS LLC -- shortly after signing Strasburg as the No. 1 overall pick in that years amateur draft. This was Strasburgs ninth career game with 10 or more strikeouts and first this season. His career high remains the 14 Ks from his major league debut on June 8, 2010, against Pittsburgh. "I want to be the big dog in the rotation; that comes with the territory. The sixth inning isnt cool anymore, for me," Strasburg said. "I want to go seven, eight and hopefully nine sometime." Strasburg (5-8) did not walk anyone in eight innings Wednesday, giving up only one run and two hits, all in the second inning. That included the leadoff shot by Pedro Alvarez, who drove a 96 mph fastball over the wall in right-centre for his 26th homer. "A backspin 2-iron," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle called it. "Ive seen a lot of home runs. Ive seen a lot of hard-hit balls. But that one got my attention." Notes: Melancon is filling in for closer Jason Grilli, on the disabled list with a strained right forearm. ... Nationals manager Davey Johnson said LHP Ross Detwiler is expected to miss a month with a back injury. ... On Thursday, the Nationals will start LHP Gio Gonzalez (7-3, 2.89) against Pirates RHP A.J. Burnett (4-7, 3.07). Wholesale World Cup Jerseys . In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. Soccer World Cup Jerseys . Cote was eligible to become a free agent Feb. 15. Cote helped running back Jon Cornish run for a league-high 1,813 rushing yards en route to being named the leagues most outstanding player. http://www.cheapworldcupjerseysauthentic.com/ . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse. FIFA World Cup Jerseys Cheap . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason. Cheap Soccer Jerseys . Roman Josi had a goal and an assist to lead the Predators to a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Monday night. SAN MARTIN, Calif. -- Lydia Ko has got all the shots, on and off the course, from curling in putts to cutting up with reporters, delivered with an ease that belies her age.As the 19-year-old was being interviewed Saturday following the third round of the U.S. Womens Open at CordeValle, a journalist asked Ko about her routine to prepare for pressure-packed Sundays.I go partying, Ko said, partying all night and come straight to the course.The joke drew laughs like her game attracts raves, although Ko would have to start doing stand-up for her humor to wow at the same level as her golf.Having won two of the past three womens major championships, Ko is in excellent position to make it three out of four. The worlds top-ranked player shot a 2-under 70 to take a 1-stroke lead over Eun Hee Ji, who won the 2009 U.S. Womens Open, and Sung Hyun Park, at 7-under 209 after 54 holes.Everyone will be chasing Ko, who already has caught most of her sports significant records for success at an early age and is poised, if she closes out a victory in the womens games oldest major, to collect two others.Appreciating all of Kos achievements can feel like being a kid with too many toys under a Christmas tree.Ko won an LPGA event at 15, became the No. 1 player in the world at 17 and, when she won the 2015 Evian Championship, surpassed Morgan Pressel as the youngest winner of a womens major. Thirty-seven LPGA events have been won by teenagers, with Ko accounting for 13. The next-best teen record belongs to Lexi Thompson with four wins.If Ko (19 years, 2 months, 16 days) wins Sunday, she will break Inbee Parks mark as the youngest winner of the U.S. Womens Open by nine months. She would become the youngest golfer to win a third major, eclipsing Tom Morris Jr., who was slightly more than two months older than Ko when he won the 1870 Open Championship.Ko is a rare comet of a golfer, but Saturday night was going to be oh, so ordinary.The best thing is to not get out of your routines, Ko said. It doesnt matter if its the first day or the last day or the third day or an extra day. I love my sleep, so I know that Ill have a good nights sleep. But nothing different. Nothing special to eat. I want my moms cooking, and thats it.Kos putting, usually a strong suit, has lived up to its reputation the past two days at CordeValle. She has needed only 25 putts in each of the second and third rounds. A Friday 66 allowed Ko to cut into a 9-shot deficit she had to Mirim Lee after a first-round 73, and being handy on the greens kept her under par Saturday.In particular, three long putts -- hard-breaking 25-footers for birdie on Nos. 3 and 13, and a par save of similar length on No. 14 -- were pivotal.I wasnt expecting that one to go in, Ko said of the birdie effort at the 13th, which she thought she had misread. I was walking a little bit and then I saw the ball drop, so it kind of took me by surprise. It was a lucky one. But I almost think my par on 14 was the more meaningful of thhe two.ddddddddddddo did a minor fist pump after sinking the putts at the 13th and 14th. Demonstrative is normally not her style, but looks can be deceiving.I look a lot calmer than what goes on in the inside, Ko said. I definitely do get nervous, but I think thats part of it. I think nerves are good because it means youre excited. Youre ready. It means a lot to you.As three-time Masters champion Jimmy Demaret once said, the key is to have the butterflies flying in formation.I guarantee Lydia feels the same things we do, said Brittany Lang, whose third-round 68 moved her into a tie for fourth, 2 strokes behind Ko. She does a better job controlling them. She gets back to what shes doing, and she executes. Its impressive. Shes the master of it, its unreal.The last time Ko had the 54-hole lead at a major, last months KPMG Womens PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club near Seattle, she went out on Sunday and shot 67 and still lost -- to fellow teenager Brooke Henderson in a playoff after the Canadian closed with a 65.I thought there were so many positives, from that final round at Sahalee, Ko said. All I can do is try my best. If somebody plays better than me, I cant do much about it. That was a perfect example of that. Brooke played so impressively on that Sunday. And for her to win the playoff with a birdie, I think that just kind of summed up her day.Ko missed a short birdie putt on the 71st hole at the Womens PGA, a putt that would have salted away a third straight major title. But even the greatest champions dont make everything, and they tend to dwell on their successes, not their failures.Although not yet 20, Ko has a stunning reservoir of grace under pressure going back to childhood. When Ko was only 11 she faced an older opponent in the final of the New Zealand Womens Amateur. Ko didnt win the match but left an indelible impression on those who watched with her cool, which has become such a trademark during her precocious career.Confidence is an earned commodity, Fox golf analyst Paul Azinger noted during Saturdays broadcast, and shes earned it through achievement.Hard work, more than most could imagine, has brought Ko to this point, not that there arent some occasional diversions. In fact, on vacation in her native South Korea last December, Ko did stay up almost all night attending with her sister and friends a Psy concert. The Gangnam Style performers show didnt start until midnight.The concert started at 12 and ended at 2, and there was an encore that went for an hour, Ko said. I ended up coming home at 5 a.m. My throat was a little weird the next day, and I dont think Ive sweated that much in my life. I had a seat but there was no point in having one because you were jumping up and down the whole time. I had a good time.The atmosphere at CordeValle on Sunday will be a bit different, but fun is fun. ' ' '